


Day 7. Exhausted | Autumnal Gifts

by steadycoffeeflow (Salimity)



Series: Inktober 2018 [7]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Happy girlfriends, I gave them names beyond blue-haired Traci and her relationship to each other, Inktober 2018, Post-Revolution, Pumpkin carving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 08:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16740727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salimity/pseuds/steadycoffeeflow
Summary: It hadn’t been so long since they’d been just for others, everyone else, whoever had the money to take whatever they wanted from them.Not so long ago the two of them had been clawing to keep fragments of their own memories, to hide shared tender moments behind walls of encryption so they wouldn’t be stolen, deleted, tossed away into a sea of temporary data. So precious to them, but worthless to the club owner and technicians. A time when the only other thing they could share freely was their name.Then, suddenly, the world had become theirs. At least, in small parts.--A tender moment shared between two Strong and Valid Women while they're hollowing out pumpkins to donate to a Youth Rec Center.





	Day 7. Exhausted | Autumnal Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> Heather is the blue-haired Traci, and Emily is the other Traci. I have a distinct feeling they would reject those given names and claim their own post-freedom.

“Are you getting tired yet, love?” Heather asked, chiding as Emily brought in another two pumpkins, one under each arm, both larger than her head. The kitchen was pleasant, heat rolling off from the oven, infusing the air with cinnamon and nutmeg and cardamom as the first batch of seeds - the ones scooped from pumpkins last week - roasted within.

Heather was forearm-deep within the shell of another pumpkin, scooping and hollowing out the insides with a fluorescent orange tool. Emily jostled the pumpkins onto the table, then leaned to hook her chin into the curve of Heather’s neck. “Tired? You’re the one doing all the hard work.” She kissed Heather’s jawline, a gentle touch, then played with Heather’s blue hair.

“Well, this one can be loaded with the others,” Heather said, tapping the side with the tool. The rest had been loaded onto the truck the youth center had supplied them, but… “That should be twenty, so where did-” Heather frowned at the other two, processing where she’d lost track of the count.

Emily pulled playfully at her hair, then laughed as she took the pumpkin from Heather’s hands. “Those are for just the two of us. We can carve them tonight, after the party, if you’d like.” Then, quickly, “Or we leave them as is. Whatever you’d like.”

Emily left, the front door sliding shut while Heather remained held in place. The juice and pulp from the pumpkin were starting to dry, making her painted dermis layer feel tight over her chassis. But she didn’t move to wash her arms and hands off. Couldn’t take her eyes off the pumpkins in case she looked away and they disappeared, this whole fairy tale life crumbling around her.

Just for them.

It hadn’t been so long since they’d been just for others, everyone else, whoever had the money to take whatever they wanted from them.

Not so long ago the two of them had been clawing to keep fragments of their own memories, to hide shared tender moments behind walls of encryption so they wouldn’t be stolen, deleted, tossed away into a sea of temporary data. So precious to them, but worthless to the club owner and technicians. A time when the only other thing they could share freely was their name.

Then, suddenly, the world had become theirs. At least, in small parts.

Emily came back in, drawing Heather’s attention from the table.

Emily. Emily Emily Emily. At times, Heather couldn’t get enough of the name, repeating it with soft kisses and hushed breaths, the sound of it permeating every circuit of her being. Darling, brave Emily. Emily with her black hair and orange tips, giggling as she emerged from the bathroom having chosen something festive, getting into the holiday spirit. Choosing, beyond all questionable doubt, to share this freedom with Heather. Overcome, Heather reached out for Emily, who tucked into the grip, not minding the pumpkin guts for a single second.

“Love, are you okay?” Emily asked, running her hands along Heather’s back, along her shoulders, checking. Searching.

Heather gave an encouraging squeeze, burying her face into Emily’s neck. “More than okay,” she breathed. Then, she pulled back, smiling to reassure that everything was just fine. More than fine. “Take the seeds out of the oven for me, will you? Let me clean myself up.”

Emily brightened, then groaned as Heather wiped a part of the slime onto Emily’s cheek, sharing that too.   
  


**BONUS ROUND**

“What kind of face is that?” Emily screeched with laughter. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. Heather would fight another hundred RK800s just to hear that laugh.

Heather pulled a face, spinning the pumpkin round. Its mouth was crooked, curling up the side, and she hadn’t quite sawed out the eyes yet but she had wanted to try it without a pattern. Had watched a girl at the youth center carve something beautiful without pinning any of the paper to the orange casing. Just letting herself be free.

Apparently there was a knack to that Heather hadn’t quite gotten down.

“Please, he’s sensitive,” she replied, pulling a mocking pout.

“Oh my - babe. His mouth. It’s-” Emily wheeze, doubling over, body shaking with suppressed laughter. “Okay. I won’t. I’ll-”

“Let’s see yours then,” Heather said, leaning to catch a glimpse.

But Emily lurched into action, snatching the pumpkin and leaning back, eyes bright. “No no - it’s a surprise. You’ll see when I’m done.”

“That’s hardly fair.”

“You’ll just have to be patient,” Emily chided, but the warmth of her laughter played at the corners of her mouth while she worked, bangs falling into her eyes as she leaned forward.

Heather watched, then reached out to brush the hair from Emily’s eyes. Emily looked up, surprised, then cracking into another wide smile, beatific. Heather cupped her jawline, where she’d smeared the pumpkin guts earlier that day. “I love you,” Heather said.

Emily nuzzled into the touch, then stole a quick kiss on the heel of Heather’s palm. “Wouldn’t share my life with another.”


End file.
